MESA’s Official Statement to DACA Announcement

September 8, 2017

Dear MESA Family,

Earlier this week, President Trump announced his intention to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, commonly known as DACA. The issue of immigration is a complex and fraught one, without an easy solution. Nevertheless, it is hard to see the shift in policy as anything other than cruel and hurtful, doing nothing to solve the larger challenges and throwing the lives of hundreds of thousands of people into disarray.

MESA categorically opposes the revocation of DACA, and will do all we can to support our students and families impacted by this change in policy. Specifically:

As per our policy established last year, while the school will always comply with the law, MESA will not allow any immigration officials into its space without a specific and valid warrant. MESA will also not provide any information to any law-enforcement officials without a specific and valid warrant.

MESA will be hosting an immigration rights workshop for families on Tuesday, October 3 at 5:30 PM. We encourage MESA family members to bring relatives and friends who may be impacted or may have questions. We also welcome members of the larger community who would be interested in attending, regardless of their specific affiliation with MESA.

MESA has provided a list of resources regarding immigration on its website. For those families who may be more directly affected, our counseling team is available to provide guidance.

MESA has secured partnerships with organizations that can provide free legal assistance. For more information, please contact Nelly Soto (nsoto@mesacharter.org), our family coordinator.

These are dark times, to be sure. But it is comforting to see that no matter what malevolent rhetoric might be emanating from the White House at this moment, MESA students – regardless of immigration status – continue to work hard, learn, and thrive. Their effort, talent, and determination is a firm rebuke to those who traffic in stereotypes and hate. As always, we stand behind our families in love, support, and solidarity.